I live for high adventure, people always give me looks when I say that I scuba dive, climb, and am going to teach climbing this summer. I find the thrill of these sports exhilarating, that’s why I do them.
100 years ago a teen set out and joined the military if they were after the experience, or went west to claim a plot and start a farm. These old styles of adventurous teens are a thing of the past and now some teens go above and beyond even my extreme activities.
One teen, Mike Perham, from England sailed around the world solo when he was 14, and earned his way into the Guinness World Records. This makes me wonder what kind of a deep effect that experience must have on someone so young and how it might shape the character of someone at that age.
I wondered why, why would he want to risk his life on the high seas, all alone? Also why would Mike’s parents let him risk his life as well as leave school for so long?
In an exclusive interview before and after his voyage Mike, told Yachtpals about himself after his voyage.
He said,” I’ve grown a bit. You know, I've grown taller. I guess I've gotten a bit more mature, and older, in terms of changing me personally. But, I'm still the fun loving guy with the mental age of an eight year old, as my Dad calls me.”
Another teen that has set a record is Parker Liautaund, a teen making his third trek to the North Pole.
At 14, Parker joined a 2009 Antarctic expedition. In 2010, following that expedition, Parker embarked on a new mission to inspire, and inform young people in the global political dialogue on climate change. He started his own new organization called, The Last Degree, while attempting to become the youngest person in history to ski to the North Pole.
On his record-setting ski trip to the North Pole, Parker had to abandon the mission due to bad weather conditions, so in 2011 he tried again and was successful.
And now, at 18, Parker is setting out to do the first analysis of isotopes on the North Pole. This will touch on the larger picture Parker intends to address involving climate change.
These two teens didn’t come from especially wealthy families; companies such as One Young World support these teens and their endeavors.
One Young World is a company with the mission to take younger persons with great leadership caliber and drive and place them into the adult world. Each year the teen delegates meet at a summit and discuss the world issues and how they may affect teens.
Other companies that give teens chances to be outgoing and adventurous are REI and Outward Bound.
REI has trips open to just about anyone that is looking for and adventure. With REI you can go rock climbing, hiking, kayaking, and many other exciting things.
Outward Bound is an organization specifically designed for teens, anyone is eligible. They take hikes, climb and kayak as well, but are a teen only organization as opposed to REI.
These companies are oriented to get people out and about, on the trail or on the water.
The thrill, the controlled scare, it’s what makes all the exciting things these teens have accomplished worth it. Their experience lasts for a lifetime.